Jessica Sherr - Playwright / Bette Davis is a multi-talented actress, writer, and producer who calls New York City her home. With her infectious and vibrant personality, she brings a bright comedic energy to her performances that leave audiences entertained and craving for more. Originally from San Diego, Jessica’s passion for acting led her to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. She has made notable appearances on popular television shows, including CLAWS (TNT), CLOAK AND DAGGER (ABC FreeForm), and BLUE BLOODS (CBS), showcasing her versatility and captivating on-screen presence.
In addition to her acting credits, Jessica has also made a mark as a producer. Her work on the award-winning web series, Scratch This, has earned her recognition and numerous accolades. The series has been honored as the Best Web-Series at the Garden State Film Festival and has received the prestigious Best Ensemble Cast award at the Bilbao Seriesland & Miami Web-fest. Moreover, Jessica’s dark comedy short, Wicked Image, has been screened at esteemed film festivals such as the Lighthouse Film Festival, Beaufort International, and Block Island Film Festival, earning her the titles of Best Comedy at Austin Under the Stars, Best Comedy at Baltimore Next Media, Best Short Short Comedy at the Cutting Room International Film Festival and Best Screenplay at Hang Onto Your Shorts. Jessica co-produced, We are the Prototypes, World Premiere at Dances with Films, Dragon-Con (Audience Choice Award).
As an accomplished actress and writer, Jessica’s greatest triumph is her one-woman show, BETTE DAVIS AIN’T FOR SISSIES. Directed by Drama Desk Award-winning Karen Carpenter, the show has garnered international acclaim. Jessica made her debut at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival and received an offer for a run at St. James Theater in London. The show’s success continued with two successful 4-week runs in Chicago and over 400 performances across 25 states and 3 countries. Notably, the Bette Davis Estate even gifted Jessica with a pair of Miss Davis’ scarf, gloves, and earrings to wear during her captivating portrayal. Jessica feature film script, BETTE, based off her solo show, was a finalist for ScreenCraft, Top 10% Nicholls Fellowship, Finalist for Scriptapalooza.
Jessica’s talents extend beyond the stage and screen. She has honed her craft through training with esteemed acting teacher Wynn Handman. She currently studies with acting coach Glen Morshower and has studied improv at renowned institutions like UCB and The PIT. Alongside her artistic pursuits, Jessica is a certified personal trainer and holds a Real Estate License. Her dedication to physical fitness and her love for her adorable Wheaten Terrier, Wynnie, add depth to her vibrant personality.
With a fearless approach to taking risks, a relentless passion for her work, and a natural ability to understand the complexities of drama and comedy, Jessica Sherr has established herself as a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry. Her ability to connect with others and her improvisational skills make her a versatile performer who always answers with a resounding “Yes, and.” With her star on the rise, Jessica continues to captivate audiences and spread her love for laughter and entertainment wherever she goes. INSTA @jessica_sherr @bettedavisaintforsissies
www.JessicaSherr.com
www.BetteDavisAintForSissies.com
"Rebel with a Cause"--Chicago Stage and Cinema
Karen Carpenter -- DIRECTOR, is the director of the critically-acclaimed premiere of George Eastman’s comedy, Harry Townsend’s Last Stand, currently running off-Broadway. She is set to direct the upcoming premieres of the new play Re-Wire, and the new musical Brave New World. Karen’s previous Off-Broadway credits include: Delia and Nora Ephron’s Love, Loss And What I Wore, (Drama Desk Award, BWW Audience Favorite, NYT’s Critics Pick); Handle With Care (NYT’s Critics Pick); L.O.V.E.R., Bulldozer; and Witnessed by the World. Regionally, she has directed for the Old Globe Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Bucks County Playhouse, the Contemporary American Theater Festival, and Surflight Theater. In the years Karen served as Artistic Director of the William Inge Theater Festival, she instituted a New Play Lab hosting over 70 playwrights readings of their newest works, and directed lifetime achievement tributes to David Henry Hwang, Arthur Kopit, Beth Henley and Donald Margulies. And as the Associate Artistic Director of the Old Globe, she produced over 40 plays and musicals, revived their annual Shakespeare Festival, and directed many award-winning plays, among them, As You Like It, named Best of the Year by San Diego Magazine. She is the Producing Director of her company, The Figment Factory, LLC. Faculty, Yale School of Drama, 1991-1996. Boston University alumna. kcdirector.com; @kcdirector.
Minjoo Kim — LIGHTING DESIGNER, is a lighting designer who is on a never-ending quest of understanding the perpetually fascinating facets of light. Working as a theatrical lighting designer in Korea, China, and the United States, she developed a keen eye for lighting and honed her drafting skills. Using hands-on techniques from live productions, she can approach design from dynamic and diverse visual perspectives Her collective lighting design credits include The Two(Space Awul), The Great Leap(Cygnet Theatre), Quiet No More(San Diego Women's Chorus), Qulili(The Blindspot), IDEAS-Cetacea(Calit2 Theater, Atkinson Hall), Crimson Girl(Dongsoong Art Center), Die or Not(Seoul Art Space Mullae), Mask on/off(Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre). Her work Othello, directed by Dylan Key, got selected in the Emerging Artist/Imagination Exhibit from the USA at Prague Quadrennial in 2019.
She received MFA in theatrical lighting design from UC, San Diego, and a BA in Theatre and Film Design from Chung-Ang University in Seoul, Korea. minjoo-design.com